Suzy Menkes

Vogue International Editor Suzy Menkes is the best-known fashion journalist in the world. After 25 years commenting on fashion for the International Herald Tribune (rebranded recently as The International New York Times), Suzy Menkes now writes exclusively for Vogue online, covering fashion worldwide.

Kenzo’s Planet B

Paris Fashion Week Day Five

28 Сентября 2014

The girl with the face of an avatar had two braids and preternaturally white teeth, and spoke in a variety of languages about Kenzo from LED screens installed in a Paris skatepark.

“She’s the evolution of humanity,” announced the label’s co-designer Humberto Leon backstage as he talked about this invention, a computer-generated humanoid figure. He and his design partner Carol Lim wanted to express the optimism they feel working in Paris, and what they imagine for fashion in the immediate future.

So what can we expect? Nothing too scary. The show opened with an ankle-skirting white dress in broderie anglaise, translucent below the knees and with silver zippers as tramlines on the bodice.

The programme notes talked moods and fabrics, citing “future”, “reflection”, “graphics” and “purity”. This all added up to a square-cut shirt and denim skirt or jacket. The designs were fresh, sporty and stood a little away from the body — which was cute for overalls with flesh seen from the sides.

The airy materials, sky-blue stripes to contrast with white, and the introduction of shiny or illuminated surfaces were light and modern. Pink patterns added a more girly sensibility and might have been to the “kawaii” taste of Knola, the name the duo has given their fashion avatar.

Knola seemed feisty and on message for Kenzo when she announced with a blink of her eyes from the multiple, colourful screens: “There is no Planet B.”